Magnet Floater Workpiece Pickup for Reliable Top-Sheet Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing workpiece supply systems using magnet floaters face issues such as insufficient workpiece attraction leading to transport failures, misalignment due to air resistance, and workpieces getting stuck, particularly when the levitation angle is large.
Innovation Solution
A workpiece supply system that includes a magnet floater capable of switching between on and off states for magnetic force application, combined with a workpiece supply robot that contacts the uppermost workpiece when the magnetic force is reduced and separates it when increased, ensuring secure holding and reliable transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the levitation angle of the workpiece becomes large to separate the uppermost workpiece from lower pieces, then separation is achieved, but the workpiece may be stuck to the magnet floater
Solution Approach 1:
The magnet floater dynamically adjusts the magnetic force during the separation process. When a large levitation angle is needed for separation, the magnetic force is strengthened to prevent the workpiece from sticking to the magnet floater. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to achieve reliable separation while avoiding the harmful effect of sticking.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by strengthening the magnetic force before the workpiece can stick to the magnet floater during large-angle levitation. This preventive measure counteracts the potential sticking effect before it occurs, allowing the workpiece to be reliably separated without becoming stuck.
2Productivity
If the lower workpiece is released and falls due to air resistance and impact, then the release is achieved, but the lower workpiece becomes misaligned with respect to the group of workpieces causing transport failure
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the harmful effects of air resistance and impact from the workpiece release process by using magnetic force control. Instead of allowing the lower workpiece to fall freely, the magnetic force is adjusted to guide its descent, preventing misalignment while maintaining efficient release.
Solution Approach 2:
The magnetic force acts as an intermediary between the magnet floater and the lower workpiece during release. This intermediary force controls the workpiece descent, preventing the harmful effects of uncontrolled falling and air resistance, thereby maintaining alignment reliability while achieving efficient release.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This system effectively suppresses transport failures and misalignment, reliably supplying only the uppermost workpiece by securely holding it and separating it from lower pieces, reducing the risk of sticking.
Implementation Method 1
a magnet floater configured to separate an uppermost workpiece from a group of workpieces stacked on a loading area by magnetizing the group of workpieces
Implementation Method 2
the uppermost workpiece that is levitated in an inclined state with respect to a mounting surface is attracted to the supply robot
Data Source
AI summary
A workpiece supply system includes a magnet floater configured to separate an uppermost workpiece from a group of workpieces stacked on a loading area by magnetizing the group of workpieces, and a workpiece supply robot configured to be able to transport the uppermost workpiece from among the group of workpieces, wherein the magnet floater is configured to be able to switch between an on state where a magnetic force is applied to the group of workpieces and an off state where a magnetic force to be applied to the group of workpieces is reduced compared to the magnetic force in the on state, and the workpiece supply robot is configured to contact the uppermost workpiece when the magnet floater is in the off state and to separate the uppermost workpiece from the group of workpieces when the magnet floater is in the on state.